USPTO Patents Application 10826466

□CT-10-2006 11:45 From:BFF LLP 6503373231 TorUSPTO P.5''10

Atty DkL No.: SIER-022CON
USSN: 10/826.466

AMENDMENTS

Please incorporate the following amendments into the claims of the subject
application.

1^5. (Canceled)

RECEIVED

001 1 0 2008

46. (Currently Amended) A method of determining whether an agent inhibits GC-Box 5
repression of TERT transcription, said method comprising:

(a) contacting said agent with [an] a f irst_ expression system comprising a
GC-Box 5 repressor binding site and a first coding sequence operably linked to a
TERT promoter under conditions such that in the absence of said agent transcription of
said coding sequence is repressed;

(b) contacting said aaent with a second expression system comprisinQ a
second coding sequence operablv linked to a TERT promoter that does not
comprise a GC»BoxS repressor binding element;

{c) determining whether transcription of said first c oding sequence is

repressed in the presence of said agent; and

(G) (di Identifying said agent as an agent that inhibits GC-Box 5 repression of
TERT transcription if transcription of said first c oding sequence Is not repressed in the
presence of said agen t and transcription of said second coding sequence is not
altered in the presence of said agent .

47. (Canceled)

48. (Currently Amended) The method according to Claim 46, wherein said first
contacting step occurs in a cell.

49. (Originai)The method according to Claim 46, wherein said agent is a small
molecule.

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* OCT- 10-2006 11:45 From:BFF LLP 6503a73e31 ToiUSPTO P. 6^-10

Atty Dkt. No.: 8IER-022CON
USSN: 10/826,466

50-52. (Canceled)

53. (Previously Presented) The method according to Claim 48, wherein said cell does
not express telomerase.

54. (Previously Presented) The method according to Claim 53, wherein said ceil is an
MRC5 cell.

55. (Cun-ently Amended) The method acconjing to Claim 46. wherein said first coding
sequence encodes a luciferase.

56. (Cun-ently Amended) The method according to Claim 46, wherein said first c oding
sequence encodes a secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP).

57. (Previously Presented) The method according to Claim 46, wherein said agent is a
biomolecule.

58. (Previously Presented) The method according to Claim 57, wherein said
biomolecule is selected from the group consisting of peptides, proteins, nucleic acids,
oligonucleotides, saccharides, fatty acids, steroids, purines, pyrimidines, and derivatives
or structural analogs thereof.

59. (Currently Amended) The method according to Claim 46, wherein said first
expression system Is contained In a vector.

60. (Previously Presented) The method according to Claim 59, wherein said
vector is a plasmid.

61 . (Previously Presented) The method according to Claim 59, wherein said
vector is a viral vector.

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